Burner for gas lamps



1949- E. 1.. KOGER 2,480,251

BURNER FOR GAS LAMPS Filed Oct. 7, 1944 I v 2 Sheets-Sheet l 4p Z' G 54 9 3o 9 v I 42 28 27 52 5 5 6 10am 3 FIG. I.

INVENTOR EVERETT L. Koezlz ATTO RNEY Aug. 30, 1949. E. L. KoGEiQ BURNER FOR GAS LAMPS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 7, 1944 3 FIG 5.

v INVENTOR EVERETT L. KQGEFL BY KW ATTORNEY.

Patented Aug. 30, 1949 BURNER FOR GAS LAMPS Everett L. Koger, San Gabriel, Calif. Application October 7, 1944, Serial No. 557,628

4 Claims.

This invention relates to lamps and deals par- The illuminating device to be described hereinafter derives its light by heating a small piece of an alkaline earth metal, such as calcium, to incandescence by means of an impinging gas jet. This type of lamp has generally been known as the gas lamp and has embodied the earth metal in various forms such as mantles, wafers, etc., which have been heated by gas jets utilizing acetylene, oxygen, etc. The invention herein deals with an improvement in a burner for a lamp of the above character.

Broadly speaking, it is the primary object of this invention to provide a burner for a lamp of the above character wherein various adjustments may be had to provide the lamp with maximum utility. More specifically, it is an object of this invention to provide a burner of the above nature wherein the source of light may be moved along the optical axis of the lamp reflector to focus the lamp. Another object is to provide means in a burner of the character described for adjusting the distance between the gas jet and the alkaline earth wafer to compensate for wasting of the wafer. Still another object is to provide means in the above invention whereby more than one wafer may be brought consecutively into heating relation with the gas jet. Still another object is to provide means in a lamp of the above nature for mounting the entire burner assembly upon a conventional lamp so that the gas burner may be substituted in place of the ordinary electrical equipment commonly used in reflector lamps, such as search lights, spotlights, flood lights, etc.

In lamps of the above character it is customary to supply a gas mixture to the gas jet which will yield the desired heat value. Accordingly, it becomes another object of this invention to provide a valve adapted to pass a plurality of gases into a mixing chamber wherein the gases are mixed and caused to flow through a single conduit to the gas jet. In addition, it is another object of the invention to provide an electrical means for igniting the gas jet coordinated with the control valve whereby a spark is generated at the tip of the gas jet when the valve opens to permit the gas to flow to the jet.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent as the description proceeds in conjunction with the drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the burner, showing a fragmentary reflector in section;

Figure 2' is a view of Figure 1 in the plane of the paper;

Figure 3 is a view taken on line 33 of Figure 1, showing the burner in section;

Figure 4 is an enlarged view taken on line 4-4 of Figure 2,. showing the valve arrangement and the electrical contactor partly in section; and

Figure 5 is a side elevation of the electrical contactor with the cover removed.

Briefly stated, the invention amounts to incorporating in a burner of the character described several adjustable features, as above mentioned, which render the burner particularly adaptable for use in reflector type lamps, such as search lights, flood lights, stage lamps, etc.

Referring to the drawings, it will be seen that I have embodied my invention in a lamp which is indicated by a fragmentary reflector R. It is ,to be understood that the reflector R represents any type of lamp, including search lights, flood lights, stage lamps, etc. No means of support for the lamp is shown, since this is no part of my invention. For mounting the burner upon the reflector R, I provide, a circular flange H which may be attached to the reflector in any suitable manner such as by welding, as indicated at l2, or in any other way found convenient or desirable. The flange ll carries two upright posts 13 which are attached thereto, by

welding, as indicated at l4. The members l3 may take the form of short channel sections and are providedwith blocks I5 mounted in the 'channel which. are held in place by screws l6. 'Circular braces 1'3 extending from a position on the posts [3 to the flange Il may be used to increase the rigidity of the posts if desired. The above described, construction is rigidly mounted 'upon the reflector R. The burner assembly is slidably mounted upon the bars I5.

For mounting the burner upon the above construction', I provide a body generally designated ll. The body If! carries on opposite sides grooved runners i8 which are in the shape of a channel section and are adapted to slidably fit over the bars l5. This provides a mounting for the burn er whereby it may be moved horizontally for purpose of focusing. As a means of moving the burner horizontally along the bars I5, I provide an arrangement comprising a screw threaded rod l9 which is rotatably mounted in a hub 20 on the member Handheld against longitudinal movement therein by means of collars 2| fixed ,aswitch operated by a valve which on the rod, said rod being adapted to threadedly engage a lug 22 mounted on the member I3. The rod i9 is equipped with a thumb screw 23 so that it may be turned to move the entire burner assembly backward or forward along the bars l and thus bring the source of light into focus with the reflector R.

Referring to Figure 3, it will be seen that the body I1 is iormed'with connecting passages 24 and 25. The :passage .24 communicates with a fitting 26, which will be more fully described later, and a pipe 21 is mounted in the passage 25. Upon the outer end of the pipe 21, I mount a gas jet 28. Also upon the outer end of the pipe 21, I mount a bracket 29 which carries an insulating conduit 30 that brings an electrical conductor 3| into close proximity with the orifice of the jet 28 so that an electrical spark may be formed between the end of the conductor and .the tip of the jet to ignite the .gas. The other endof the conduit 30 connects with a post 32 (see Figure 2) .whichin turn is connected with a'conductor 33 that leads to the positive side of will bedescribed later.

In accordance with the principles of illumination used in lamps of the character described in .this invention, the flame from-the jet 28 impinges upon a wafer 34 which heats the wafer to incandescence and yields the illumination. Since the composition of the wafer is no part of this invention, it is deemed sufficient tostate that the wafer may be of the usual type of earth metals used for this purpose. The wafer 34 inturn is mountedin a holder comprising two pieces 35 and 36, which in turn are carried upon a cross rod 31. The piece 35 is fixed to the rod 31, while the piece 36 is pivoted to the rod as shown at 38. Aconical member v39 having a thumb nut 40 is arranged to be screw threadedly forced between the outer ends of the members 35 and 36 by means of a screw threaded rod 4| engaging the rod 31.. It can be seen from this arrangement that, as the .cone member 39 is advanced by turning the thumb nut 46, the wafer 34 is gripped in the inner ends of the members 35 and 36. It will also be noted that the bar 3.! is mounted upon a support 42 and extends on the other side of the support to carry another structure identical with that just described whereby a second wafer 34 ,may. be mounted and may be-brought into operating position over the jet by rotating the member 42 upon its support.

The means for rotating the member 42 maybe operated externally of the lamp so that the operation may be vperformed while the light is burning. As shown, this means comprises .a rod 43 rotatably mounted in the body IT. The rod carries a thumb nut 44 externally of the reflector .for turning the same. By means of universal joint 45 and 46, any turning of the rod 43 is translated to a small rod '41 carried in a sleeve 48. The rod 41 is connected to the supporting member 42 which has been described as'the member which rotates the wafers into .and out of operative position. The sleeve 48 is carried by a. bracket 49 which is detachably supported in a sleeve 50 and held therein by means of a win nut 5|. The sleeve 56 in turn is supported upon another sleeve 52 which telescopes within a sleeve 53 that is supported upon .the member I! and held in place therein by means of a block 54 which is suitably attached to the member :IJ.

.By means of the above described arrangement,

the wafers 34 may be interchanged by turning 4 the thumb nut 44. Also, the entire wafer assembly may be dismounted from the burner by 1005- ening the wing nut 5| and pulling the rod 49 out of the sleeve 50. To permit this, the connection between the universals 45 and 46 is made up of a telescoping arrangement comprising a rod 55 and a sleeve 56. The rod 55 is provided with a tongue 51 and the sleeve 56 is formed with a slot 58 adapted to slidably receive the tongue 51 and provide aldetachable driving arrangement between the two members. As stated above, the wafer supporting assembly may be dismounted with the above described construction for purposes of assembling the burner in a reflector type lamp.

My invention also embodies another feature of construction which provides means for moving the'wafer assembly relative to the gas jet to vary the distance so that the optimum in heat may be obtained. This feature includes the telescoping sleeves 52 and 53. Referring to Figure 3 particularly, it can be seen that the sleeve 52 carries a rigid standard 59 adapted to screw threadedly engage a rod'60. The rod 69in turn is rotatably mounted in another standard 6! rigidly attached tothesleeve'53. On opposite sides of the standard 6! are fixed'collars 62 which prevent longitudinal movement of 'the rod through the standard 6|. The rod is adapted to be turned by a thumb nut 63. The foregoing arrangement is for the purpose of moving the sleeve 52 relative to the sleeve 53. The result of such movement is to increase or decrease the distance between the tip of the jet 28 and'the wafer 34. This is for the purpose of adjusting the distance to compensate for the wasting of the wafer under the incandescent burning.

The foregoing description covers the construction of the burnertper se and the means for making the various adjustments mentioned hereinbefore. "It remains to provide means for delivering gas to the jet '28 and for this purpose I have shown and illustrated the following. As before stated, a fitting 26 (see Figures 2, 3, and 4) is screw threadedly mounted in the opening 24 in the body I]. The fitting 26 is a part of a mixing chamber shown detail in Figure 4. Here it will be observed that the fitting 26 is provided with a passage 64 which communicates with an inner spool 65 having longitudinal passages 66 and 61 .therethrough. The fitting 26 is connected to the spool 65 by means of threads 68. A coupling member 69 holds a lower fitting Ill in position against the spool 65. Screw threadedly connected to the fitting 10 is another fitting H, which in turn is screw threadedlymounted in a valve block generally designated 12. Mounted in the fitting I9 is an inner pipe 13 which communicates with the passage 66 in the spool 65 and a passage 14 in the valve block '72. The annular space between 'the fitting H and the pipe -13 communicates with a passage in the valve block 12. In the fitting *1 6, I provide passages 16 which communicate the annular space just mentioned with passages "61 in the spool 65. Under the above arrangement it will be observed that gases entering through the passages 14 and 15 in the "valve block will become mixed in the mixing chamber 11 at the upper end of the spool 65. From there the mixture passes upwardly through the passage 64 into the passage 24 and eventually through the pipe 21 to the jet 28, where it is ignited.

Themeans for supplying the gas to the jet consists of conduits. Jlland 119 which supply gas, such as acetylene and oxygen, 'to passages and 8! in the valve block I2. The means for controlling the gas supplied to the jet comprises a tapered plug 82 which is formed with passages 83 and 35' adapted to communicate passage 80 with passage 74 and passage Bl with passage 75 respectively when the plug is in the proper position. The plu may be held in the block by means of a tension spring 85 and may be arranged to be turned by a handle 86. Also, I may provide a pin 87 in the block 72 adapted to contact a pin 88 in the plug 82 to provide a predetermined stopping point for the valve to permit maximum flow.

In conjunction with the above described constructlon, I provide a means for automatically igniting the gas at the burner 28 by the operation of opening the ports for admittin gas to the burner. As shown, I have mounted a cam member comprising two parts 89 and 90 on the end of the tapered plug 82. These members are adjustably held in position by means of screws 91! and 92 and jointly provide a high point 93 which is adapted to engage a yieldable bar 90. The bar 92 in turn carries a contact point 95. Upon movement by the cam 93, the contact point 95 is forced to engage another contact point 98 supported on an arm 97. The engagement of these two points completes a circuit between conductors 33 and 98. Thus it will be seen that the cam, by acting on the contacts 95 and 90, forms a circuit from the positive side of a battery 99 to the conductor 3| adjacent the tip 28. The negative side of the battery 99 is grounded through conductor I00 on any convenient part of the metallic construction. The cam is so arranged that the electrical circuit is completed at the opening stage of the valve and the contact is of such duration that a spark may be had of suflicient amplitude and time to ignite the gas as it emerges from the tip. The contact points 95 and 96 with their attendant construction are mounted on an insulation block l0! supported on the valve block 72.

A lamp of the above character Will find usefulness in many fields, since it may be made a selfcontained unit, carrying its own supply of gas, thereby rendering it exceptionally useful for cations where no electricity is available, and also where it would be difiicult or inconvenient to run cable conductors for supplying the extremely high amperage required on comparable electric lamps.

Iclaim:

1. In a lamp having a reflector housing with a hole therethrough near the optical axis of said reflector, a burner supporting member mounted on said reflector housing around said hole, slideways on said member, a gas burner adapted to I e slidably mounted on said slideways, said gas burner comprising a gas jet, a wafer held in impinging relation with the flame from said jet, means operable externally of said reflector for moving said jet with respect to said wafer to vary the distance therebetween, and means c0- operating between said burner supporting member and said burner operable externally of said reflector for moving said burner on said slideways to focus the same in said reflector.

2. In a lamp having a reflector housing with a hole therethrough near the optical axis of said reflector, a burner supporting member mounted on said reflector housing around said hole, slideways on said member, a gas burner adapted to be slidably mounted on said slideways, said gas burner comprising a, gas jet, a plurality of Wafers mounted on said burner adapted to be moved into successive impinging relations with a flame from said jet, and means cooperating between said burner supporting member and said burner operable externally of said reflector for moving said burner on said slideways to focus the same in said reflector.

3. In a lamp having a reflector housing with a hole therethrough near the optical axis of said reflector, a burner supporting member mounted on said reflector housing around said hole, lideways on said member, a gas burner adapted to be slidably mounted on said slideways, said gas burner comprisin a gas jet, a plurality of wafers mounted on said burner adapted to be moved into successive impinging relations with a flame from said jet, means for moving said jet with respect to said Wafers to vary the distance therebetween, and means cooperating between said burner supporting member and said burner operable externally of said reflector for moving said burner on said slideways to focus the same in said reflector.

4. In a lamp having a reflector housing with a hole therethrough near the optical axis of said reflector, a burner supporting member mounted on said reflector housing around said hole, slideways on said member, a gas burner adapted to be slidably mounted on said slideways, said gas burner comprising a gas jet, means for successively moving a plurality of wafers into impinging relation with a flame from said jet, said means including a. rod rotatably operable externally of said reflector having wafer carrying means on the inner end thereof adapted to successively move wafers into flame impinging positions upon rotation of said rod.

EVERETT L. KOGER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 

